Hopper-door mechanism.



J. W. STEINMEYER.

HOPPER DOOR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.21, 1913.

Patented Sept 1, 1914.

2 $HEETSSHEET I.

WITNESSES:

A TTORXE Y J. W. STEIN MEYER.

HOPPER APPLI DOOR MECHANISM.

(JATION FILED AUG. 21, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES 4O hopper of grain car,

; llNlTl ll) b l llfii lllllb JOEE W'. STEINMEYER, 313 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASElIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND EGUNDRY COMPANY, 038 $T. LOUIS, MIQSDURI, A CORPORATION NEW JERSEY.

.3i.,fi9,i2.

original application filed December "17,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, J 01m W; STEINMEYER,

residing at St. Louis, Missouri, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hopper-Door Mechanism, oi. which the following/is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper'tains to makeand to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention,- though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art.

- In said drawings Figure 1 is a tragmen tary side elevational'vie'w of a car equipped with the present invention, parts being broken away to illustrate internal constructionof the hopper. Fig. is a'vertical, trans verse sectional view; the section being taken on line 22 of, Fig; 1, through the hopper and floor of the car, with the hopper door shown in solid lines in' locked position and in dotted lines in unlocked position. Fig. 3 18 a transverse, vertical sectional vie v, the section being taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, loolc- 5 ing in the direction indicated by the'arrows, and shows a portion otthe hopper in elevatiomrvith a hopper door in open position. Figs. 4,.5 and 6 are'details of construction relating especially to means employed for supporting; and operating the door. Fig. '7 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view throughpone of the intermediate stringers, the section'being indicated by the line 7 7 of Fig. My invention relates in general to the or car adapted to carry ladii'ig ofsimilar line material, and specifically relates to the door construction and door operatii'ig inecha'nisn'i employed, other features of the eonstriiction forming the subject-matter of n y pending applica tion, Serialllo. -7 -236, liled December 17,

3912, of which this application is a division. One object 01? the 'nvcntion is to provide,

a hopper, the drop door of which held in locked position by weight olithe door,

Specification of Letters Patent.

1912, Serial No. 7323236.

Serial No. 78$,G4l3.

ted Slept. ll, twi l.

Blvided and this application filed August assisted by a distributed lading, but which door may be released and will automatically swing to open position when so released.

. I attain the above outlined objects, broadly, by positioning transversely of and in juxtaposition to the side doors of the car a pair of hoppers, which hoppers are preferably, constructed oii'a single sheet of metal, bent into hopper shape and securely braced to the under-frame elements. Adapted to extend transverselyof and supported by the side and center sills is a pair of grain supporting doors, which when used to support grain are placed in horizontal position, but which tially close the side doors, thereby uncover; ing the hoppers. hopper opening has anfupturned flange adapted to support the lower side of a hinged drop door, which door is adapted to be lifted bodily by a toggle link to clear the flange so that the lading and weight of the door will act to swing the same into open position.

My invention relates to other elements and combination of elements and parts arranged to attain a well I braced and readily constructed combined grain and box car, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

invention a conventional form of car, it is, of course, to be understood that the invention is not specifically limited to this form oi? car initially be adapted to other forms with obvious mechanical modifications and KlllPttt'tlOilS, and in the illustration but one hopper and its adjacent elements will. be de scribed in detail, it being understood that :he similar elements are disposed in the corresponding position on the opposite side of the center sill.

cscribed more in detail, l have shown one of a pair of channclshaped center sills A, which pair is conncchd by a center sill. cover plate ll, and spaced from r ich center sill is a conventional form of flanged or channel shaped side sill C. It w ill be noted that, as isusual with oo-nstrncticms of this character, the cente sill is relatively leeper than the side sill, but in this particular instance the top of the side sillis positioned slightly The lower edge of the .lVhilc l have shown as a vehicle for my may be swung into vertical position to parhigher than the top of the center sill, so that the grain door hereinafter described will be flush with the permanent car floor D when said grain door E is in its lowered position. l/Vhen in its raised position it will be understood that the door fits between the door posts F, which, together with the furring pieces G, form an outline for the grain door and constitute part of the side wall H. A conventional cross-bearer J extends transversely of the car at each door post, between Which cross-bearers and between the side sill and the adjacent center sill element is disposed the hopper K, particularly forming a part of the subject-matter of this inven tion.

Parallelin the center and side sills and positioned siibstantially midway between the same and passing through the sides of the hopper K, in a manner more particularly hereinafter described, and overlapping the cross-bearer is a longitudinally extending intermediate stringer L, Z-shape in cross section, the upper flange of which is nearly flush with the top of the side sill G. Suit ably riveted to the front face of the side sill and adjacent at the top thereof is an inverted reinforced L-shaped threshold plate M, which projects above the side sill a distance equal to the thickness of the door E, so that the top of the door E, when used as a part of the floor, will be flush with the top of the threshold plate, as shown in Fig. 2.

The door E comprises a series of wooden pieces 8, fastened together and reinforced by an intermediate wooden batten 9, bolted to the under or rear side of the door, each lon itudinal ed e of the, door bein bound by a metallic L-shaped batten 10, the upper or inner batten having a filler 11 disposed between one flange thereof and the door, so as to form with the batten a projecting flange or stop which, when this part of the door is resting on the center sill cover plate B, will contact with the retalning piece 12 to prevent transverse movement of the door in one direction, the corresponding door on the opposite transverse side preventing movement in the other direction.

'As the center sill is positioned below the plane of the car floor D a distance equal to the thickness of the retaining piece 12, and as the side sill is raised above the center sill this distance, the effect will be that the door E when used as a part of the llooring will be in a substantially horizontal plane with one side of the door litting in the angle between the threshold plate and the top of the side sill, resting on the sid sill when in the raised position shown in lfig. 3, or, the lowered position shown in Fig. '2. The inner side of the door is, of course, supported by the center sills and center sill cover plate, and is supported intermediate its width by the intermediate stringer L. Each transverse edge of the door is bound by a Z- shaped outstanding flanged plate 13 inset into the door, the projecting flange of which, as shown more particularly in cross section in Fig. 1, fits into a pocket or groove in the adjacent flooring D.

Referring to the hopper K, it will be noted ter sill element A, and the center sill cover 1 plate B, and fastened to these members by means of rivets 16. This inside wall of the hopper is braced from the lower portion of the center sill by means of the angle bracket- 7, having one end fastened to the lower flange of the center sill element and the other end upwardly angled to fit the inclined hopper wall.

Extending tnnisvcrsely of the car and adjacent each of the cross-bearers J, and positioned between the cross-bearer and the adjacent side plate 17 of the hopper K, are short transverse pieces 18 interinitted so as to permit the intermediate stringer L to pass therethrough. The outside end of the pieces 18 is inset in pockets 21 in the filler block 22, carried between the flanges of the side sill C, the end of the transverse piece fitting the upper portion of the channel and conforming in configuration to the underside of the upper flange of the side sill.

Each transverse side 17 of the hopper has its uppercnd bent outward to form a llangc which overlaps the transverse pieces 1H and is bolted or otherwise fastened to these pieces, as shown in 1 and 3. Each longitudinal front upper edge of the side sheet 17 of the hopper is bent inwardly toward each other to form flanges 21-, which are bolted to the filler block 22 carried. in the inside of the side sills. From this construction it will be seen that the side sill itself forms the upper front portion of the hopper and the hopper opening extends sub stantially from the bottom of the side sill to adjacent the bottom of the inside or rear wall 14-. This inside or rear wall has an upturned flange 25 formed integral with a reduced extension d6 of the front flanges 24 adapted to support the door, as hereinafter described.

To brace the transverse sides 17 of the hopper above the door opening, to form a guide for the upper edge of the door and to form a chute for the ladin g in the vicinity of the channel of .the side sill, there is positioned within the hopper a downwardly and inwardly inclined hood plate 27, each longitudinal end of which has an upturned ifiosgtee flange 28 fastened to the side of the hopper, the upper edge of the plate 27 being bent outwardly to fit beneath the lower flange of the side sill C, to which it is fastened by any suitable means, such as the rivets adapted to hold the door bracket, hereinafter described.

In order to close the portion of the sides of the hopper which were'cut away in order to insert the Z-shaped stringer L, there is disposed between each of the angles of the stringer a Wooden filler 29 having an inclined face 30 (see Fig. 7) adapted to' conform to the inclination of the side 1'! of the hopper. The portion of the side cut away to accommodate the stringer is bent to form an underlapping lip or flange 31 fastened to the underside of the transverse pieces '18, assisting to hold the two parts thereof in position.

The hopper door Q, is of a trapezoidal form and preferably termed of a flanged plate, which door when in closed position rests within the upturned flanges 25 and 4:6,

and is then positioned to the outer and un- Zdersidc of the hood plate 27 and positioned a distance from the side sill and its attached parts sullicient to permit the door to slide in its own plane a distance at least suf-' ficient to uncover the flanges 25 and 46, as shown in dotted and dashed line construction in Figs. 1 and 2.

The door is hinged to the side sills preferably by means of a pair of slotted hinges 33. The slot being in a plane parallel to the plane of the door permits the sliding movement hereinbet'ore referred to. In order to actuate the door both to slide and swing the same positively either into its open position, shown in Fig. or into the closed position, shown in Fig. 2, the mechanism described below is provided. Ailixed to the side sill and to the underside of the horizontal outstanding flange-of the hood plate'27 is a centrally disposed bracket 34 carrying a pivot pin 35, to which is pivoted the upper ends of a pair of depending, freely sii 'inging' links 36. The lower ends of said links are connected by a pivot pin 37, which constitutes the fulcrum for an actuating lo.

,ver 38, one arm of this lever forming 2i bent handle 39 which extends outside of the side sill in all the positions it is caused to assume due to the position of the door. The other end of the lover is pivoted by means of the pin 40 to the bracket llnnounted centrally upon the under or outer face of the door Q.

' Noting Fig. 3 it will be seen that actuating the handle 39 will swing the door on its hinge 325 into position to close the hopper outlet. the arrangement ot' the links l)( l ing such that the door is permitted to swing into the hopper until this upper portion con tacts with the hood plate 27 Then with the'pivot pin 3% as a relatively stationary pivot, the handle 39 is raised from the dot and dash position in Fi 2 into the full line position shown in this tigure, which has the effect of lowering the door from its dotted position shown in this figure into its full line locked position. The handle is then looked in positiIn by some suitable form of catch, lock or hasp passing through co-actingapertures in the handle and an extension 47 from the bracket 3d.

By this construction it will be seen that the weight of the lading carried by the door is supported by the flan e 9.5 of the hopper itself and the weight 0 the lading is also transmitted through the links and parallel lever 38, so that there is but little tendency for the door to open due to the weight'of any lading above it, and at the same time there is all'oi'ded a means for readily moving the door into unlocked position so that the weight of the lading will tend to open the same, but in case of anice seal the long handle will.afi'ord a material leverage to positively open the door.

What i claim is:

1. A receptacle having an opening, a flange outlining import-ion of said opening and extending substantially in he plane of the same, a door adapted to rest on said flange to close said opening, and a door-supportingand actuating means adapted to raise said door from said angle to uncover said opening.

2. A receptacle having a bottom opening therein, a doorsupporting flange forming part of said receptacle, a door resting onv said flange when closing said opening, and door actuating mechanism for lowering said door through said opening to uncover the same. I

3. A hopper including a downwardly inclined wall having'an upturned lower flange, a pivoted door adapted to be supported by said flange, and door actuating means adapted to raise said door to clear said flange.

4. A hopper having an outlet, a door supporting member outlining a part of said outlet, a pivoted door resting on said moinl)(I, and door actuating means adapted to slide said door from and to its position on said member. g

5. In a car, a hopper having an opening in a. ide thereof, a doorsuppoli'ting member at one side of said opening, afdooi' having one side supported by a. hinge connection and the opposite side supported by said member, and door actuating means for sliding said door into position to disconnect the same from said member.

6. In a can having an inclined opening,

a support, a door for said opening, a slotted hinge connection between said support and door, and a door actuating lover For svving- ,ing' said door into closing position within said hopper.

n CO and door; l the door, and fixed position lever and llillx uniooliw position.

8. In 22 therein, *1 to L bed liio aged 1; f 1 1 aid limo at, a e mi: and pivots 10 said 8; The combination with a hopper an outlet in the botitom thereof, of a, support, a drop door ouilsb a siotted connection between said door and su ipoii, and a door aoiuating nee adapted 30 sition to iie supported To 10. A hopper having iherefoi',

. 3 means on said hopper. for said cooper-sing wlth said-hood to gulde osu o to a liberating POSItlOlL,

opl imlity of hopper sheets, a of side sill connecting two of said e. hood plate adopted to guide a door Y liberating position, and a door.

T32, The combination with a side sill, of a w h .v' g opening below said sill, s said opening, and a hood plate said siil and overlapping said oda ted to guide said closure 1 osition.

, sinacion with a side sill of a er comprising 21 plurality'of sheet sides having an opening below said s ll, a door for said opening, and a hood olate fasi t" "nd being adapted to guide said door So berating position.

Jitness whereof I have hereu and in she presence of two witne ses.

JOHN ,SIEINMEYER.v "iiitiiesses2 CHARLOm Mum's,

r i'i iizssson.

opper formed of a body portion 3 d to said sill and to some of said hopper to set my 

